Sample Questions for the First Quiz
-- InterNet Section --

  1. An action, or series of actions, taken for the entertainment or involvement of an audience is a ___ (A. Drama B. Performance C. Tragedy).
  2. A literary analysis of the script of a play is a study of the ___ (A. Drama B. Theatre)
  3. According to Eric Bentley, the three essential ingredience of a theatrical experience are ___ (A. Actor, Audience, Theatre B. Actor, Director, Script C. Actor, Audience, Character).
  4. True or False? ___. According to Wilson and Goldfarb, the television series Everybody Loves Raymond, which is filmed before a live audience, is only a theatrical event for those in the studio audience.
  5. ___ (A. Illusion B. Delusion C. Reality) is the standard reaction of a children's audience--they believe what is happening on stage is real, but they are only innocent bystanders, hence not involved.
  6. ___ (A. Aesthetic distance B. Empathy) is the aesthetic force which tells the audience what is happening on stage is not real, but only "play acting."
  7. A journalist's review is usually ___ (A. A brief reaction to a performance B. A critical analysis of the drama C. A detailed study of the play's history).
  8. Dramatic criticism is generally ___ (A. Published in the newspaper B. Printed in a scholarly journal C. Presented on the 10 O'clock news).
  9. "Genre" means ___ (A. Category or kind B. Origin or birth C. A work that can be performed).
  10. According to Aristotle, every play should ___(A. Have a beginning, middle, and end B. Have a prologue and an epilogue C. Begin with a soliloquy that is questioned by the chorus).

    Identify the following by dramatic genre. (A. Tragedy B. Farce C. Comedy D. Melodrama)...

  11. The hero overcomes the obstacle, hence achieving his major objective
  12. The hero is overcome by the dramatic obstacle, hence going down in defeat
  13. A wildly humorous play where the humor is often brought about thru a major misunderstanding between the characters.

  14. The six elements of dramatic structure were developed in 355 BC by ___ (A. Aristotle B. Sophocles C. Thespis).
  15. The ___ ( A. Theme B. Concept C. Plot ) is how a story is presented on stage by the playwright.
  16. In a climatic plot, such as Sophocles' Oedipus the King, the plot begins near the ___ (A. Beginning B. Middle C. End) of the story.
  17. A character's spine is his ___ (A. Age B. Social/Economic class C. Major goal or objective).
  18. If the pace of a performance is too ___ (A. Fast B. Slow), the audience will become restless and soon lose interest.
  19. ___(A. Stage directions B. Script notes C. Dialogue) is a playwright's major means of expression.
  20. The core of every drama is ___ (A. Character B. Action C. Theme).
  21. True or False? ___. Only a few playwrights build their scripts on their own, or their families' personal experiences.
  22. True or False? ___. An original script is seldom revised during the rehearsal process.
  23. A ___ (A. Story B. Treatment C. Scenario) is the plot outline developed by the playwright before he begins to "write the play."
  24. The playwright in the live American theatre receives for the use of his script ___ (A. A single large payment from the producer B. A percentage of the box office gross C. The box office gross from the third performance).
  25. As for as the playwright is concerned, a work is in performance ___ (A. Any time there is an audience B. Only when there is a paying audience C. Any time after the fifth week of rehearsal).
  26. The scripts for most television shows are written ___ (A. On spec B. On order).
  27. A new script sent to directly to a Broadway producer will normally be ___ (A. Not returned B. Returned unopened C. Read by an assistant).
  28. An actor's instrument is his/her ___ (A. Voice B. Body C. Self).
  29. The three stages of an actor's routine are ___ (A. Make-up, costume, and hair design. B. Voice, body, and facial expressions. C. Auditioning, rehearsing, and performing).
  30. Which of the following does the director not look for in an audition? ___ (A. Naturalness of delivery B. Physical suitability for the part C. Ability to memorize lines).
  31. Performance technique, or the ability to "read" an audience, ___ (A. Is learned B. Is instinctive C. Is instinctive, but can be improved through study).
  32. In the ___ (A. External B. Internal) approach to acting the character grows from within the actor.
  33. Stanislavski, although best known as an actor, was also a ___ (A. Designer B. Director C. Manager) with the Moscow Art Theatre.
  34. ___ (A. Marlon Brando B. Karl Malden C. Lee J. Cobb) who created the role of Stanley Kowalski in Tennessee William's Streetcar Named Desire is today considered one of America's leading method actor.
  35. The director directs all of the following except the ___ (A. Actors B. Designers C. Producer)
  36. The directing process encompasses two phases: ___(A. Selection and implementation B. Reading and acting C. Collecting money and allocating funds).
  37. Directing, as a creative dramatic art, ___ (A. Is about a hundred years old B. Has existed since the beginning of Greek theatre C. Was developed by the Elizabethans).
  38. The chorus in a commercial Broadway musical is usually cast through ___ (A. Open B. Closed) auditions.
  39. The average rehearsal period for an educational or community theatre production is ___ (A. 3 B. 5 C. 9) weeks.
  40. A ___ (A. Creative B. Interpretative C. Artistic) director will often change the location and period of a script.
  41. "The Great White Way" refers to ___ (A. Las Vegas B. Broadway C. Hollywood).
  42. Which of the following is not true of the difference between Broadway and its "off" variants? ___ (A. Off-Broadway is less expensive than Broadway B. Some of the most creative work in American theatre is presented Off-Broadway C. Off-Broadway houses are nearly as large as Broadway theatres).
  43. ___ (A. Off-Broadway B. Summer stock C. Regional) theatres are often located in resort areas and provide entertainment for tourists.
  44. In the ___ (A. Long run B. Limited run C. Repertory) system of production, a different work may be performed each night.
  45. The current ticket price for a weekend orchestra seat at a broadway musical is about ___ (A. $ 75 B. $ 100 C. $150).
  46. The theatre program at Northern State is a(n) ___ (A. Co-curricular B. Extra-curricular C. Professionally oriented) program.
  47. The development of the ___ (A. Thrust stage B. Arena C. Indoor proscenium) theatre fostered the great period of scenic design.
  48. The ___ (A. Proscenium B. Thrust stage C. Arena stage) theatre has the greatest aesthetic distance because this theatrical form has the greatest separation between the actor and the audience.
  49. Aberdeen's Capitol Theatre is an excellent example of a ___ (A. Proscenium B. Thrust stage C. Arena stage) theatre.
  50. The costumes and props which are used in a ___ (A. Proscenium B. Thrust stage C. Arena stage) do not have to be very detailed because the closest members of the audience may be 30 feet from the stage.
  51. The side, or sectional view of a modern proscenium theatre often looks like a tipped over ___ (A. "H" B. "L" C. "J").
  52. The first people to use a thrust stage theatre were the ___ (A. Greeks B. English C. Germans).
  53. A piece of canvas stretched over a wood frame and painted to imitate a wall is a ___ (A. Drop B. Cyclorama D. Flat).
  54. A scene designer ___ (A. Builds and paints the set B. Drafts the blue prints used by the crew to build and paint the set C. Develops the image).
  55. A ___ (A. Ground plan B. Front elevation C. Rendering) is a top view of the set on stage, as it will appear on opening night.
  56. The action-documentaton-metaphor approach to design was developed by ___ (A. Robert Edmond Jones B. Mordecai Gorelik C. Edwin Wilson).
  57. ___ (A. Representationalism B. Presentationalism) is the theatrical style which says "Theatre is not real, only an actor on a platform."
  58. The father of American scene design is ___ (A. Mordecai Gorelik B. James Earl Jones C. Robert Edmond Jones).
  59. The ___ (A. Set B. Costume C. Lighting) designer, through his creative work, tells the audience the social and economic rank of each character in a play.
  60. The design element of ___ (A. Shape B. Color C. Texture) is normally used by the costume designer to establish the social and economic strata of each character.
  61. The costumes for the servants in a Shakespearean comedy, presented by a small academic or community theatre, would probably be ___ (A. Borrowed B. Rented C. Constructed).
  62. True or False? ___ A historical museum is a good source for period (19th century) costumes.
  63. A ___ (A. Costume chart B. Costume plate C. Costume pattern) is the drawing which shows which characters work the stage together.
  64. Electric stage lighting was introduced into the English theatre in ___ (A. 1864 B. 1881 C. 1901).
  65. Focus and form are both ___ (A. Functions B. Controllable properties) of light.
  66. A __ (A. Flood B. Spot) light is normally used to light the scenery.
  67. The lighting control board should be located ___ (A. Backstage B. In the back of the auditorium).
  68. The ___ (A. Hook-up chart B. Cue sheet C. Magic sheet) is the chart which tells the light crew the intensity of each dimmer for each lighting composition in a show.
  69. Sound reinforcement, the amplification of the performer's voice, is most commonly used in a ___ (A. Comedy B. Opera C. Musical).
Theatre (InterNet Section) Home Page
E-mail questions and comments to Larry Wild at wildl@northern.edu.
Posted: May 21, 2004; Revised: August 16, 2004
© 1998-2004 by Larry Wild, Northern State University